Sports theater for golf



April 1951 F. BBBBB RD 2,550,430.

ATTORNEYS April 24, 1951 F. HUBBARD ,550 480 SPORTS THEATER FOR GOLFFiled Feb. 7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FORD HLBBARD INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlce SPORTS THEATER, FORGOLF Ford Hubbard, Houston, Tex. Application February '7, 1947, SerialNo. 727,166

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to outdoor sports theaters having playing arenasarranged around a central spectator area wherein elevated seats andwalkways for spectators are constructed in terraced rings to enableready observation by the spectators of the play of the contestantstaking place simultaneously or progressively in several directions aboutthe spectator area.

The embodiment herein disclosed relates more particularly to a sportstheater for golf, which ordinarily has not been classed as a spectatorsport for simultaneous enjoyment by thousands of spectators because ofthe difiiculties heretofore encountered in constructing a golf coursewhere the play on a number of holes could be simultaneously viewed andthe spectators restrained from trampling the course or impedingtheprogress of the players.

Heretofore, golf courses have been laid out upon ground having a naturalcontour which is specially adaptable for this use. Such courses haveproven satisfactory as far as the play is concerned. However, spectatorshave found it necessary, in order to view the play, to follow theperformers about the course. During tournaments and the like it hasproven difficult for the spectators to view the play of severalperformers over a substantial part of the course and for other reasonsthe arrangement has not proven to be entirely satisfactory from thespectators standpoint when tournament or professional contests are held.

An object of this invention is to provide a golf sports theater whereinthe several holes are arranged around a substantially central spectatorarea so that the play of the golfers on substantially all holes may bereadily observed by the spectators without leaving such spectator area.1

Another object of this invention is the construction of a golf sportstheater including eighteen holes of full tournament length arranged on aplot of much lesser acreage than required for present day golf courses,and extending in substantially all directions around a central spectatorarea in side by side relation, the inner or outer termini of themajority of such holes being located adjacent such specator area. i

A further object of this invention is the provision in an outdoor sportstheater of a novel spectator supporting structure, having seats,arranged substantially entirely around the exterior thereof in aplurality of vertically spaced tiers gradually decreasing in area frombottom to top, and walkways, extending entirely around such 7 structureat different heights, whereby spectators may view games or contests onseveral playing arenas in various directions about the spectatorsupporting structure.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the instantspecification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and whereinlike reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the variousviews:

Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a golf course and spectatoriumembodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the spectatorium shown in Fig. 1with a part of the fence encircling the spectatorium broken away forclarity; and

'Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan View of the specta outwardly from thecentral location of the spectato'riur'n, and the paths of each of theholes have portions which lie adjacent the perimeter of thespectatorium. According to the preferred arrangement, either the tee orthe green of each of the holes is located adjacent the spectatorium, andthe tees and greens are alternately spaced circumferentially about thespectatorium whereby the spectators in the spectatorium may view theplay from the tee of one hole and the play to and on thefgreen of thenext succeeding hole in alternate fashion. To illustrate this, the teesof theholes have been marked on the drawings with a T and the greenswith a G. The tee of the Number 1 hole shown at I2 is boxed in withnumeral 1. lIhe encircled G with theflag hear ing the numeral 1extending therefrom as seen at 12c indicates the green of thefirst hole.lhe tee andgreen of holes 2, 3 and 13 are similarly marked, but in theinterest of simplicity, the remaining tees and greens are marked onlywith the lettersT or G, as the case may be. However, the holes willproceed in the natuial'sequence indicated and the play to and on green18 will bringthe performers back to the start:

ing point.

In order to bring as much play as possible into closer view of thespectatorium, it is desirable that the arrangement of the individualholes shall be such that the whole course will be played on as small anarea as possible. This is also desirable from the standpoint of economy.It is preferred, in most instances, to construct the course so that theindividual holes will have p01- tions extending substantially radiallyor tangentially from .the spectatorium. This'ei'fect may be accomplishedand still permit a bending back of the fairways of some of the holeswhere desired so that the fairways will be like the conventional dog-legholes, or even substantially lk-shaped. Also, the shape of theparticular tract that is available for the golf course may dictate thatsome of the fairways will extend other than directly to or from theperimeter of the spectatorium, while the majority of the pathshavep'ortions extending in this fashion. This is shown schematically inFig. 1 wherein the portions of the holes adjacent the spectatoriumextend substantially tangentially from the perimeter of the spectatoriumwith the exception of the holes illustrated in the upper right 'handcorner of the drawing which extend substantially radially.

It is also contemplated that the usual hazards such as bunkers, sandtraps, roughs, lakes and the like may be constructed in proper relationto the fairways, as desired, taking advantage of any naturaladvantagesinherent in the natural contour of the ground upon which thecourse is to be located.

It is to be understood that where desirable, suitable transportation canbe provided the performers to carry them from the green of one hole tothe tee of the next following hole. However, usually it is not necessaryto provide this transportation as the green and tee of adjacent holesmay be placed in close proximity of each other.

Obviously, the play of the performers at points nearest the spectatoriummay be more readily viewed than that approaching the extremity of thecourse. Howeveneach-seated spectator will have a relatively closeup viewof part of the play of several holes. A walkway maybe provided, asindicated at I3, surrounding the seats of the spectatorium, permittingspectators to follow closely the progressive play of individual groupsof players. In addition walkways may be provided intermediate the rowsof seats at selected levels whereby a spectator may readily move to aposition to view the play relative to one of the tees or greens adjacentthe spectatorium but not clearly visible from the spectators seat, oreach terraced tier may be of suflicient width to provide a circularwalkway in addition to the seats thereon.

It is contemplated that this arrangement need not entirely do away withthe gallery, as presently known, following the players over the course.However, less enthusiastic fans are afforded comfortable facilities forviewing exhibition golf play in my improved outdoor sports theater andmay view a substantial portion of play of all the participants.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, thespectatorium is shown to be frusto-conical in shape. However, in placeof the circular perimeter as shown, it is to be understood that anyother desirable shape might be used, such as for example hexagonal,octagonal, star shaped or the like.

It is contemplated that showers and other like facilities may be erectedwithin the structure of the spectatorium. Suitable doors such as shownat l4 are provided to afford access to the interior of the spectatorium.Preferably a walkway i3 is provided between the outer perimeter of thespectator area of the theater and the seat portion of the spectatorium.Patrons who desire may circle the spectatorium in course of watchingplay and follow the play of selected performers. A fence l5 may beprovided at the outer perimeter of the spectator area to divide it fromthe surrounding games arena. Concession stands l6 may be constructed inthe walkway l3, and stairs I! provided leading from the walkwayto theseat portion of the spectatorium. Preferably the lower row of seats willbe elevated s'o that the seated spectators may easily see over the headsof spectators using the walkway l3. At 'thetop of the spectatorium ashelter 1:8 may be provided which, if desired, can extend over a largerportion of the seats, and the usual 19th hole facilities may be providedat the top of the spectatorium as is illustrated by the tables l9, whererefreshments may be served.

It is believed that the operation of this golf course is apparent fromthe foregoing description. The course will be played in the usual manneraccording to conventional rules, the players teeing off at the tee ofthefirst hole and shooting to the green of the first hole. Aftercompleting play on the first hole, they proceed to the tee of the secondhole and play toward the secondhole green. Play then continues in theusual fashion through the 18th hole. Of course, a lesser or greaternumber of holes may be provided. Where desired, suitable .space isavailable for practice putting greens and driving ranges or the like.

It will be seen that theobjects of the invention have been accomplished.There has been provided a sports theater including a golf course wherein.the individual holes extend outwardly of a central spectator area inside by side relation around the spectatorium. The arrangement is suchthat play over the course may be readily viewed by spectators. Theconstruction of the golf course is such that a minimum groundrequirement is presented. Thus, there has been offered for the firsttime a golf sports theater wherein a large number of spectators maycomfortably view play of golfers-including outstanding performers intournaments, professional exhibitions, and the like.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all of the end and objects hereinabove set forthtogether with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are'ofutility andmay be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is with-in the scope of theclaims.

As many possible embodiments maybe made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An outdoor golf theater comprising a golf playing arena surrounding acentral spectator area, said golf playing arena being constituted of aseries of elongated holes, at least the majority of said holes havinginner termini arranged around and .located adjacent the spectator areawardly from the spectator area in side by side relation, and a spectatorsupporting structure in said spectator area having elevated seatspositioned to afford ready view of said holes.

2. An outdoor golf theater comprising a golf playing arena surrounding acentral spectator area, said golf playing arena being constituted of aseries of elongated holes, at least the majority of said holes havinginner termini arranged around and located adjacent the spectator areaand said holes extending generally radially outwardly from the spectatorarea in side by side relation, and a spectator supporting structure insaid spectator area having elevated seats facing in substantially alldirections and in a plurality of vertically spaced tiers.

3. An outdoor golf theater comprising a golf playing arena surrounding acentral spectator area, said golf playing arena being constituted of aseries of elongated holes, at least the majority of said holes havinginner termini arranged around and located adjacent the spectator areaand said holes extending generally radially outwardly from the spectatorarea in side by side relation, and a spectator supporting structure insaid spectator area having elevated seats facing in substantially alldirections and in a plurality of vertically spaced tiers offset inwardlyin upward progression, the uppermost tier having the least number ofseats thereon and each lower tier having a greater number of seatsthereon than those above.

4. A golf spectatorium comprising a centrally located viewing stand withoutwardly facing seats providing the outer periphery of the stand, agolf links arranged around the viewing stand, the links arranged withtheir fairways generally radiating outwardly from the stand and with onetermini adjacent the stand.

FORD HUBBARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 4,1931 Number D. 83,195 1,091,484

Number

